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Han NR, Yu S, Byun JA, Yun EJ, Cheon S, Song S, Shim S, Choi IG, Lee SH, Kim KH. Evolution-aided improvement of the acid tolerance of Levilactobacillus brevis and its application in sourdough fermentation. Food Res Int 2024; 190:114584. [PMID: 38945604 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Levilactobacillus brevis is crucial in food fermentation, particularly in sourdough production. However, the cultivation of L. brevis faces a challenge with accumulation of lactic acid, a major inhibitor. We aimed to increase the acid tolerance of L. brevis, an industrial strain for sourdough fermentation. We used the adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) to obtain lactic acid tolerant strains. The evolved strain's fermentation and metabolite profiles, alongside sensory evaluation, were compared with the parental strain by using various analytical techniques. The ALE approach increased lactic acid tolerance in the evolved strain showing an increased growth rate by 1.1 and 1.9 times higher than the parental strain at pH 4.1 and 6.5, respectively. Comprehensive analyses demonstrated its potential application in sourdough fermentation, promising reduced downstream costs. The evolved strain, free from genetically modified organisms concerns, has great potential for industrial use by exhibiting enhanced growth in acidic conditions without affecting consumers' bread preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Ree Han
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Sora Yu
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung A Byun
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Ju Yun
- Division of Biotechnology, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan 54596, Republic of Korea
| | - Seongwon Cheon
- Research Institute of Food and Biotechnology, SPC Group, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Seongbong Song
- Research Institute of Food and Biotechnology, SPC Group, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangmin Shim
- Research Institute of Food and Biotechnology, SPC Group, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Geol Choi
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Ho Lee
- Research Institute of Food and Biotechnology, SPC Group, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
| | - Kyoung Heon Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
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2
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Jakaria Al-Mujahidy SM, Kryukov K, Ikeo K, Saito K, Uddin ME, Ibn Sina AA. Functional genomic analysis of the isolated potential probiotic Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. indicus TY-11 and its comparison with other Lactobacillus delbrueckii strains. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0347023. [PMID: 38771133 PMCID: PMC11218508 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03470-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Probiotics refer to living microorganisms that exert a variety of beneficial effects on human health. On the contrary, they also can cause infection, produce toxins within the body, and transfer antibiotic-resistant genes to the other microorganisms in the digestive tract necessitating a comprehensive safety assessment. This study aimed to conduct functional genomic analysis and some relevant biochemical tests to uncover the probiotic potentials of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. indicus TY-11 isolated from native yogurt in Bangladesh. We also performed transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analysis, comparative genomic study as well as phylogenetic tree construction with 332 core genes from 262 genomes. The strain TY-11 was identified as Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. indicus, whose genome (1,916,674 bp) contained 1911 CDS, and no gene was identified for either antibiotic resistance or toxic metabolites. It carried genes for the degradation of toxic metabolites, treatment of lactose intolerance, toll-like receptor 2-dependent innate immune response, heat and cold shock, bile salts tolerance, and acidic pH tolerance. Genes were annotated for inhibiting pathogenic bacteria by inhibitory substances [bacteriocin: Helveticin-J (331 bp) and Enterolysin-A (275 bp), hydrogen peroxide, and acid]; blockage of adhesion sites; and competition for nutrients. The genes involved in its metabolic pathway were detected as suitable for digesting indigestible nutrients in the human gut. The TY-11 genome possessed an additional 37 core genes of subspecies indicus which were deficient in the core genome of the most popular subsp. bulgaricus. During the phenotypic testing, the isolate TY-11 demonstrated high antagonistic activity (inhibition zone of 21.33 ± 1.53 mm) against Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 and was not sensitive to any of the 10 tested antibiotics. This study was the first study to explore the molecular insights into probiotic roles, including antimicrobial activities and antibiotic sensitivity, of a representative strain (TY-11) of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. indicus. IMPORTANCE This study aimed to conduct functional genomic analysis to uncover the probiotic potential of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. indicus TY-11 isolated from native yogurt in Bangladesh. We also performed transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analysis, comparative genomic study as well as phylogenetic tree construction with 332 core genes from 262 genomes. In our current investigation, we revealed a number of common and unique excellences of the probiotic Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. indicus TY-11 that are likely to be important to illustrate its intestinal residence and probiotic roles. This is the first study to explore the molecular insights into intestinal residence and probiotic roles, including antimicrobial activities and antibiotic sensitivity, of a representative strain (TY-11) of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. indicus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sk. Md. Jakaria Al-Mujahidy
- DNA Data Analysis Laboratory, Department of Genomics and Evolutionary Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Kirill Kryukov
- Center for Genome Informatics, Joint Support-Center for Data Science Research, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
- Bioinformation and DDBJ Center, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Kazuho Ikeo
- DNA Data Analysis Laboratory, Department of Genomics and Evolutionary Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Kei Saito
- Laboratory of Physics and Cell Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Md. Ekhlas Uddin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Gono Bishwabidyalay, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Abu Ali Ibn Sina
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering & Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
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3
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Bozidis P, Markou E, Gouni A, Gartzonika K. Does Phage Therapy Need a Pan-Phage? Pathogens 2024; 13:522. [PMID: 38921819 PMCID: PMC11206709 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13060522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria is undoubtedly one of the most serious global health threats. One response to this threat that has been gaining momentum over the past decade is 'phage therapy'. According to this, lytic bacteriophages are used for the treatment of bacterial infections, either alone or in combination with antimicrobial agents. However, to ensure the efficacy and broad applicability of phage therapy, several challenges must be overcome. These challenges encompass the development of methods and strategies for the host range manipulation and bypass of the resistance mechanisms developed by pathogenic bacteria, as has been the case since the advent of antibiotics. As our knowledge and understanding of the interactions between phages and their hosts evolves, the key issue is to define the host range for each application. In this article, we discuss the factors that affect host range and how this determines the classification of phages into different categories of action. For each host range group, recent representative examples are provided, together with suggestions on how the different groups can be used to combat certain types of bacterial infections. The available methodologies for host range expansion, either through sequential adaptation to a new pathogen or through genetic engineering techniques, are also reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petros Bozidis
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
- Department of Microbiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece; (E.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Eleftheria Markou
- Department of Microbiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece; (E.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Athanasia Gouni
- Department of Microbiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece; (E.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Konstantina Gartzonika
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
- Department of Microbiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece; (E.M.); (A.G.)
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Rush JS, Zamakhaeva S, Murner NR, Deng P, Morris AJ, Kenner CW, Black I, Heiss C, Azadi P, Korotkov KV, Widmalm G, Korotkova N. Structure and mechanism of biosynthesis of Streptococcus mutans cell wall polysaccharide. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.09.593426. [PMID: 38766245 PMCID: PMC11100793 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.09.593426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Streptococcus mutans, the causative agent of human dental caries, expresses a cell wall attached Serotype c- specific Carbohydrate (SCC) that is critical for cell viability. SCC consists of a repeating →3)α-Rha(1→2)α-Rha(1→ polyrhamnose backbone, with glucose (Glc) side-chains and glycerol phosphate (GroP) decorations. This study reveals that SCC has one major and two minor Glc modifications. The major Glc modification, α-Glc, attached to position 2 of 3-rhamnose, is installed by SccN and SccM glycosyltransferases and is the site of the GroP addition. The minor Glc modifications are β-Glc linked to position 4 of 3-rhamnose installed by SccP and SccQ glycosyltransferases, and α-Glc attached to position 4 of 2-rhamnose installed by SccN working in tandem with an unknown enzyme. Both the major and the minor β-Glc modifications control bacterial morphology, but only the GroP and major Glc modifications are critical for biofilm formation.
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Williamson MP. Autocatalytic Selection as a Driver for the Origin of Life. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:590. [PMID: 38792611 PMCID: PMC11122578 DOI: 10.3390/life14050590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection was revolutionary because it provided a mechanism by which variation could be selected. This mechanism can only operate on living systems and thus cannot be applied to the origin of life. Here, we propose a viable alternative mechanism for prebiotic systems: autocatalytic selection, in which molecules catalyze reactions and processes that lead to increases in their concentration. Crucially, this provides a driver for increases in concentrations of molecules to a level that permits prebiotic metabolism. We show how this can produce high levels of amino acids, sugar phosphates, nucleotides and lipids and then lead on to polymers. Our outline is supported by a set of guidelines to support the identification of the most likely prebiotic routes. Most of the steps in this pathway are already supported by experimental results. These proposals generate a coherent and viable set of pathways that run from established Hadean geochemistry to the beginning of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike P Williamson
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
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6
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Zhang K, Paul K, Jacobs JP, Cockburn MG, Bronstein JM, Del Rosario I, Ritz B. Ambient long-term exposure to organophosphorus pesticides and the human gut microbiome: an observational study. Environ Health 2024; 23:41. [PMID: 38627687 PMCID: PMC11020204 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-024-01078-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Organophosphorus pesticides (OP) have been associated with various human health conditions. Animal experiments and in-vitro models suggested that OP may also affect the gut microbiota. We examined associations between ambient chronic exposure to OP and gut microbial changes in humans. METHODS We recruited 190 participants from a community-based epidemiologic study of Parkinson's disease living in a region known for heavy agricultural pesticide use in California. Of these, 61% of participants had Parkinson's disease and their mean age was 72 years. Microbiome and predicted metagenome data were generated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing of fecal samples. Ambient long-term OP exposures were assessed using pesticide application records combined with residential addresses in a geographic information system. We examined gut microbiome differences due to OP exposures, specifically differences in microbial diversity based on the Shannon index and Bray-Curtis dissimilarities, and differential taxa abundance and predicted Metacyc pathway expression relying on regression models and adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS OP exposure was not associated with alpha or beta diversity of the gut microbiome. However, the predicted metagenome was sparser and less evenly expressed among those highly exposed to OP (p = 0.04). Additionally, we found that the abundance of two bacterial families, 22 genera, and the predicted expression of 34 Metacyc pathways were associated with long-term OP exposure. These pathways included perturbed processes related to cellular respiration, increased biosynthesis and degradation of compounds related to bacterial wall structure, increased biosynthesis of RNA/DNA precursors, and decreased synthesis of Vitamin B1 and B6. CONCLUSION In support of previous animal studies and in-vitro findings, our results suggest that ambient chronic OP pesticide exposure alters gut microbiome composition and its predicted metabolism in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keren Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kimberly Paul
- Department of Neurology, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan P Jacobs
- The Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Parenteral Nutrition, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Myles G Cockburn
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jeff M Bronstein
- Department of Neurology, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Irish Del Rosario
- Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Beate Ritz
- Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Beck C, Krusche J, Notaro A, Walter A, Kränkel L, Vollert A, Stemmler R, Wittmann J, Schaller M, Slavetinsky C, Mayer C, De Castro C, Peschel A. Wall teichoic acid substitution with glucose governs phage susceptibility of Staphylococcus epidermidis. mBio 2024; 15:e0199023. [PMID: 38470054 PMCID: PMC11005348 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01990-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The species- and clone-specific susceptibility of Staphylococcus cells for bacteriophages is governed by the structures and glycosylation patterns of wall teichoic acid (WTA) glycopolymers. The glycosylation-dependent phage-WTA interactions in the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus epidermidis and in other coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) have remained unknown. We report a new S. epidermidis WTA glycosyltransferase TagE whose deletion confers resistance to siphoviruses such as ΦE72 but enables binding of otherwise unbound podoviruses. S. epidermidis glycerolphosphate WTA was found to be modified with glucose in a tagE-dependent manner. TagE is encoded together with the enzymes PgcA and GtaB providing uridine diphosphate-activated glucose. ΦE72 transduced several other CoNS species encoding TagE homologs, suggesting that WTA glycosylation via TagE is a frequent trait among CoNS that permits interspecies horizontal gene transfer. Our study unravels a crucial mechanism of phage-Staphylococcus interaction and horizontal gene transfer, and it will help in the design of anti-staphylococcal phage therapies.IMPORTANCEPhages are highly specific for certain bacterial hosts, and some can transduce DNA even across species boundaries. How phages recognize cognate host cells remains incompletely understood. Phages infecting members of the genus Staphylococcus bind to wall teichoic acid (WTA) glycopolymers with highly variable structures and glycosylation patterns. How WTA is glycosylated in the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus epidermidis and in other coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) species has remained unknown. We describe that S. epidermidis glycosylates its WTA backbone with glucose, and we identify a cluster of three genes responsible for glucose activation and transfer to WTA. Their inactivation strongly alters phage susceptibility patterns, yielding resistance to siphoviruses but susceptibility to podoviruses. Many different CoNS species with related glycosylation genes can exchange DNA via siphovirus ΦE72, suggesting that glucose-modified WTA is crucial for interspecies horizontal gene transfer. Our finding will help to develop antibacterial phage therapies and unravel routes of genetic exchange.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Beck
- Cluster of Excellence “Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections (CMFI)”, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Janes Krusche
- Cluster of Excellence “Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections (CMFI)”, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anna Notaro
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Axel Walter
- Cluster of Excellence “Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections (CMFI)”, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, Organismic Interactions/Glycobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lara Kränkel
- Cluster of Excellence “Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections (CMFI)”, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anneli Vollert
- Electron-Microscopy, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Regine Stemmler
- Cluster of Excellence “Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections (CMFI)”, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Johannes Wittmann
- Leibniz Institute, DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Martin Schaller
- Electron-Microscopy, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Slavetinsky
- Cluster of Excellence “Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections (CMFI)”, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Pediatric Surgery and Urology, University Children's Hospital Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Mayer
- Cluster of Excellence “Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections (CMFI)”, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, Organismic Interactions/Glycobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Andreas Peschel
- Cluster of Excellence “Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections (CMFI)”, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen, Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Alshareef SA. Metabolic analysis of the CAZy class glycosyltransferases in rhizospheric soil fungiome of the plant species Moringa oleifera. Saudi J Biol Sci 2024; 31:103956. [PMID: 38404538 PMCID: PMC10891331 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2024.103956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The target of the present work is to study the most abundant carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) of glycosyltransferase (GT) class, which are encoded by fungiome genes present in the rhizospheric soil of the plant species Moringa oleifera. The datasets of this CAZy class were recovered using metagenomic whole shotgun genome sequencing approach, and the resultant CAZymes were searched against the KEGG pathway database to identify function. High emphasis was given to the two GT families, GT4 and GT2, which were the highest within GT class in the number and abundance of gene queries in this soil compartment. These two GT families harbor CAZymes playing crucial roles in cell membrane and cell wall processes. These CAZymes are responsible for synthesizing essential structural components such as cellulose and chitin, which contribute to the integrity of cell walls in plants and fungi. The CAZyme beta-1,3-glucan synthase of GT2 family accumulates 1,3-β-glucan, which provides elasticity as well as tensile strength to the fungal cell wall. Other GT CAZymes contribute to the biosynthesis of several compounds crucial for cell membrane and wall integrity, including lipopolysaccharide, e.g., lipopolysaccharide N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase, cell wall teichoic acid, e.g., alpha-glucosyltransferase, and cellulose, e.g., cellulose synthase. These compounds also play pivotal roles in ion homeostasis, organic carbon mineralization, and osmoprotection against abiotic stresses in plants. This study emphasizes the major roles of these two CAZy GT families in connecting the structure and function of cell membranes and cell walls of fungal and plant cells. The study also sheds light on the potential occurrence of tripartite symbiotic relationships involving the plant, rhizospheric bacteriome, and fungiome via the action of CAZymes of GT4 and GT2 families. These findings provide valuable insights towards the generation of innovative agricultural practices to enhance the performance of crop plants in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar A. Alshareef
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Arts at Khulis, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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9
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Wang X, Xu Y, Martin NI, Breukink E. The enigmatic mode of action of the lantibiotic epilancin 15X. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2024; 1866:184282. [PMID: 38218577 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2024.184282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Epilancin 15X is a lantibiotic that has an antimicrobial activity in the nanomolar concentration range towards Staphylococcus simulans. Such low MICs usually imply that these peptides employ a mechanism of action (MoA) involving high affinity targets. Here we studied this MoA by using epilancin 15X's ability to dissipate the membrane potential of intact S. simulans cells. These membrane depolarization assays showed that treatment of the bacteria by antibiotics known to affect the bacterial cell wall synthesis pathway decreased the membrane depolarization effects of epilancin 15X. Disruption of the Lipid II cycle in intact bacteria using several methods led to a decrease in the activity of epilancin 15X. Antagonism-based experiments on 96-well plate and agar diffusion plate pointed towards a possible interaction between epilancin 15X and Lipid II and this was confirmed by Circular Dichroism (CD) based experiments. However, this interaction did not lead to a detectable effect on either carboxyfluorescein (CF) leakage or proton permeability. All experiments point to the involvement of a phosphodiester-containing target within a polyisoprene-based biosynthesis pathway, yet the exact identity of the target remains obscure so far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqi Wang
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Yang Xu
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Nathaniel I Martin
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Eefjan Breukink
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Microbiotechnology Research of China, the Zhejiang Gongshang University of China, Hangzhou, China.
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10
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Hari A, Zarrabi A, Lobo D. mergem: merging, comparing, and translating genome-scale metabolic models using universal identifiers. NAR Genom Bioinform 2024; 6:lqae010. [PMID: 38312936 PMCID: PMC10836943 DOI: 10.1093/nargab/lqae010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Numerous methods exist to produce and refine genome-scale metabolic models. However, due to the use of incompatible identifier systems for metabolites and reactions, computing and visualizing the metabolic differences and similarities of such models is a current challenge. Furthermore, there is a lack of automated tools that can combine the strengths of multiple reconstruction pipelines into a curated single comprehensive model by merging different drafts, which possibly use incompatible namespaces. Here we present mergem, a novel method to compare, merge, and translate two or more metabolic models. Using a universal metabolic identifier mapping system constructed from multiple metabolic databases, mergem robustly can compare models from different pipelines, merge their common elements, and translate their identifiers to other database systems. mergem is implemented as a command line tool, a Python package, and on the web-application Fluxer, which allows simulating and visually comparing multiple models with different interactive flux graphs. The ability to merge, compare, and translate diverse genome scale metabolic models can facilitate the curation of comprehensive reconstructions and the discovery of unique and common metabolic features among different organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archana Hari
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
| | - Arveen Zarrabi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
| | - Daniel Lobo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
- Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center and Center for Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, 22 S. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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11
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Li FKK, Worrall LJ, Gale RT, Brown ED, Strynadka NCJ. Cryo-EM analysis of S. aureus TarL, a polymerase in wall teichoic acid biogenesis central to virulence and antibiotic resistance. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj3864. [PMID: 38416829 PMCID: PMC10901376 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj3864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Wall teichoic acid (WTA), a covalent adduct of Gram-positive bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan, contributes directly to virulence and antibiotic resistance in pathogenic species. Polymerization of the Staphylococcus aureus WTA ribitol-phosphate chain is catalyzed by TarL, a member of the largely uncharacterized TagF-like family of membrane-associated enzymes. We report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of TarL, showing a tetramer that forms an extensive membrane-binding platform of monotopic helices. TarL is composed of an amino-terminal immunoglobulin-like domain and a carboxyl-terminal glycosyltransferase-B domain for ribitol-phosphate polymerization. The active site of the latter is complexed to donor substrate cytidine diphosphate-ribitol, providing mechanistic insights into the catalyzed phosphotransfer reaction. Furthermore, the active site is surrounded by electropositive residues that serve to retain the lipid-linked acceptor for polymerization. Our data advance general insight into the architecture and membrane association of the still poorly characterized monotopic membrane protein class and present molecular details of ribitol-phosphate polymerization that may aid in the design of new antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franco K K Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Centre for Blood Research, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Liam J Worrall
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Centre for Blood Research, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Robert T Gale
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Eric D Brown
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Natalie C J Strynadka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Centre for Blood Research, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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12
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Zhang Q, Zúñiga M, Alcántara C, Wolf D, Mascher T, Revilla-Guarinos A. Cross-regulation of Aps-promoters in Lacticaseibacillus paracasei by the PsdR response regulator in response to lantibiotics. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3319. [PMID: 38336830 PMCID: PMC10858260 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53592-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The PsdRSAB and ApsRSAB detoxification modules, together with the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs)-resistance determinants Dlt system and MprF protein, play major roles in the response to AMPs in Lacticaseibacillus paracasei BL23. Sensitivity assays with a collection of mutants showed that the PsdAB ABC transporter and the Dlt system are the main subtilin resistance determinants. Quantification of the transcriptional response to subtilin indicate that this response is exclusively regulated by the two paralogous systems PsdRSAB and ApsRSAB. Remarkably, a cross-regulation of the derAB, mprF and dlt-operon genes-usually under control of ApsR-by PsdR in response to subtilin was unveiled. The high similarity of the predicted structures of both response regulators (RR), and of the RR-binding sites support this possibility, which we experimentally verified by protein-DNA binding studies. ApsR-P shows a preferential binding in the order PderA > Pdlt > PmprF > PpsdA. However, PsdR-P bound with similar apparent affinity constants to the four promoters. This supports the cross-regulation of derAB, mprF and the dlt-operon by PsdR. The possibility of cross-regulation at the level of RR-promoter interaction allows some regulatory overlap with two RRs controlling the expression of systems involved in maintenance of critical cell membrane functions in response to lantibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhang
- Chair of General Microbiology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01217, Dresden, Germany
| | - Manuel Zúñiga
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 46980, Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Cristina Alcántara
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 46980, Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Diana Wolf
- Chair of General Microbiology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01217, Dresden, Germany
| | - Thorsten Mascher
- Chair of General Microbiology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01217, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Ainhoa Revilla-Guarinos
- Chair of General Microbiology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01217, Dresden, Germany.
- Oral Microbiome Group, Genomics and Health Department, FISABIO Foundation, 46020, Valencia, Spain.
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13
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Sahoo J, Sahoo S, Subramaniam Y, Bhatt P, Rana S, De M. Photo-Controlled Gating of Selective Bacterial Membrane Interaction and Enhanced Antibacterial Activity for Wound Healing. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202314804. [PMID: 37955346 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202314804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Reversible biointerfaces are essential for on-demand molecular recognition to regulate stimuli-responsive bioactivity such as specific interactions with cell membranes. The reversibility on a single platform allows the smart material to kill pathogens or attach/detach cells. Herein, we introduce a 2D-MoS2 functionalized with cationic azobenzene that interacts selectively with either Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria in a light-gated fashion. The trans conformation (trans-Azo-MoS2 ) selectively kills Gram-negative bacteria, whereas the cis form (cis-Azo-MoS2 ), under UV light, exhibits antibacterial activity against Gram-positive strains. The mechanistic investigation indicates that the cis-Azo-MoS2 exhibits higher affinity towards the membrane of Gram-positive bacteria compared to trans-Azo-MoS2 . In case of Gram-negative bacteria, trans-Azo-MoS2 internalizes more efficiently than cis-Azo-MoS2 and generates intracellular ROS to kill the bacteria. While the trans-Azo-MoS2 exhibits strong electrostatic interactions and internalizes faster into Gram-negative bacterial cells, cis-Azo-MoS2 primarily interacts with Gram-positive bacteria through hydrophobic and H-bonding interactions. The difference in molecular mechanism leads to photo-controlled Gram-selectivity and enhanced antibacterial activity. We found strain-specific and high bactericidal activity (minimal bactericidal concentration, 0.65 μg/ml) with low cytotoxicity, which we extended to wound healing applications. This methodology provides a single platform for efficiently switching between conformers to reversibly control the strain-selective bactericidal activity regulated by light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jagabandhu Sahoo
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, 560012, India
| | - Soumyashree Sahoo
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, 560012, India
| | | | - Preeti Bhatt
- Materials Research Centre, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, 560012, India
| | - Subinoy Rana
- Materials Research Centre, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, 560012, India
| | - Mrinmoy De
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, 560012, India
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14
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Rismondo J, Gründling A. Type I Lipoteichoic Acid (LTA) Purification by Hydrophobic Interaction Chromatography and Structural Analysis by 2D Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2727:107-124. [PMID: 37815712 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3491-2_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Type I lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is a glycerol phosphate polymer found in the cell envelope of diverse Gram-positive bacteria. The glycerol phosphate backbone is often further decorated with D-alanine and/or sugar residues. Here, we provide details of a 1-butanol extraction and purification method of type I LTA by hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The protocol has been adapted from methods originally described by Fischer et al. (Eur J Biochem 133:523-530, 1983) and further optimized by Morath et al. (J Exp Med 193:393-397, 2001). We also present information on a 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis method to gain chemical and structural information of the purified LTA material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanine Rismondo
- Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University Göttingen, GZMB, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Angelika Gründling
- Section of Molecular Microbiology and Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology (CBRB), Imperial College London, London, UK.
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15
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Han J, Zhao X, Zhao X, Li P, Gu Q. Insight into the structure, biosynthesis, isolation method and biological function of teichoic acid in different gram-positive microorganisms: A review. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:126825. [PMID: 37696369 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Teichoic acid (TA) is a weakly anionic polymer present in the cell walls of Gram-positive bacteria. It can be classified into wall teichoic acid (WTA) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) based on its localization in the cell wall. The structure and biosynthetic pathway of TAs are strain-specific and have a significant role in maintaining cell wall stability. TAs have various beneficial functions, such as immunomodulatory, anticancer and antioxidant activities. However, the purity and yield of TAs are generally not high, and different isolation methods may even affect their structural integrity, which limits the research progress on the probiotic functions of TA. This paper reviews an overview of the structure and biosynthetic pathway of TAs in different strains, as well as the research progress of the isolation and purification methods of TAs. Furthermore, this review also highlights the current research status on the biological functions of TAs. Through a comprehensive understanding of this review, it is expected to pave the way for advancements in isolating and purifying high-quality TAs and, in turn, lay a foundation for contributing to the development of targeted probiotic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiarun Han
- Key Laboratory for Food Microbial Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Food Microbial Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, People's Republic of China
| | - Xilian Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Food Microbial Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, People's Republic of China
| | - Ping Li
- Key Laboratory for Food Microbial Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Gu
- Key Laboratory for Food Microbial Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, People's Republic of China.
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16
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Liu J, Huang T, Xu Z, Mao Y, Soteyome T, Liu G, Qu C, Yuan L, Ma Q, Zhou F, Seneviratne G. Sub-MIC streptomycin and tetracycline enhanced Staphylococcus aureus Guangzhou-SAU749 biofilm formation, an in-depth study on transcriptomics. Biofilm 2023; 6:100156. [PMID: 37779859 PMCID: PMC10539642 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2023.100156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen, a potential "Super-bug" and a typical biofilm forming bacteria. With usage of large amount of antibiotics, the residual antibiotics in clinical settings further complicate the colonization, pathogenesis and resistance of S. aureus. This study aimed at investigating the phenotypical and global gene expression changes on biofilm formation of a clinical S. aureus isolate treated under different types of antibiotics. Firstly, an isolate Guangzhou-SAU749 was selected from a large sale of previously identified S. aureus isolates, which exhibited weak biofilm formation in terms of biomass and viability. Secondly, 9 commonly prescribed antibiotics for S. aureus infections treatment, together with 10 concentrations ranging from 1/128 to 4 minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) with 2-fold serial dilution, were used as different antibiotic stress conditions. Then, biofilm formation of S. aureus Guangzhou-SAU749 at different stages including 8 h, 16 h, 24 h, and 48 h, was tested by crystal violet and MTS assays. Thirdly, the whole genome of S. aureus Guangzhou-SAU749 was investigated by genome sequencing on PacBio platform. Fourthly, since enhancement of biofilm formation occurred when treated with 1/2 MIC tetracycline (TCY) and 1/4 MIC streptomycin (STR) since 5 h, the relevant biofilm samples were selected and subjected to RNA-seq and bioinformatics analysis. Last, expression of two component system (TCS) and biofilm associated genes in 4 h, 8 h, 16 h, 24 h, and 48 h sub-MIC TCY and STR treated biofilm samples were performed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Although most antibiotics lowered the biomass and cell viability of Guangzhou-SAU749 biofilm at concentrations higher than MIC, certain antibiotics including TCY and STR promoted biofilm formation at sub-MICs. Additionally, upon genome sequencing, RNA-seq and RT-qPCR on biofilm samples treated with sub-MIC of TCY and STR at key time points, genes lytR, arlR, hssR, tagA, clfB, atlA and cidA related to TCS and biofilm formation were identified to contribute to the enhanced biofilm formation, providing a theoretical basis for further controlling on S. aureus biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyan Liu
- College of Light Industry and Food Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Lingnan Specialty Food Science and Technology, Academy of Contemporary Agricultural Engineering Innovations, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, 510225, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Processing and Intelligent Manufacturing of Lingnan Specialty Food, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510225, China
| | - Tengyi Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhenbo Xu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuzhu Mao
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, Engineering Research Center of Starch and Vegetable Protein Processing Ministry of Education, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Thanapop Soteyome
- Home Economics Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Gongliang Liu
- College of Light Industry and Food Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Lingnan Specialty Food Science and Technology, Academy of Contemporary Agricultural Engineering Innovations, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, 510225, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Processing and Intelligent Manufacturing of Lingnan Specialty Food, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510225, China
| | - Chunyun Qu
- College of Light Industry and Food Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Lingnan Specialty Food Science and Technology, Academy of Contemporary Agricultural Engineering Innovations, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, 510225, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Processing and Intelligent Manufacturing of Lingnan Specialty Food, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510225, China
| | - Lei Yuan
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225127, PR China
| | - Qin Ma
- Sericultural & Agri-Food Research Institute Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Functional Foods, Ministry of Agriculture /Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Processing, Guangzhou, 510610, China
| | - Fang Zhou
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yan-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Gamini Seneviratne
- National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Hantana road, Kandy, Sri Lanka
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17
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Carratalá JV, Arís A, Garcia-Fruitós E, Ferrer-Miralles N. Design strategies for positively charged endolysins: Insights into Artilysin development. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 69:108250. [PMID: 37678419 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Endolysins are bacteriophage-encoded enzymes that can specifically degrade the peptidoglycan layer of bacterial cell wall, making them an attractive tool for the development of novel antibacterial agents. The use of genetic engineering techniques for the production and modification of endolysins offers the opportunity to customize their properties and activity against specific bacterial targets, paving the way for the development of personalized therapies for bacterial infections. Gram-negative bacteria possess an outer membrane that can hinder the action of recombinantly produced endolysins. However, certain endolysins are capable of crossing the outer membrane by virtue of segments that share properties resembling those of cationic peptides. These regions increase the affinity of the endolysin towards the bacterial surface and assist in the permeabilization of the membrane. In order to improve the bactericidal effectiveness of endolysins, approaches have been implemented to increase their net charge, including the development of Artilysins containing positively charged amino acids at one end. At present, there are no specific guidelines outlining the steps for implementing these modifications. There is an ongoing debate surrounding the optimal location of positive charge, the need for a linker region, and the specific amino acid composition of peptides for modifying endolysins. The aim of this study is to provide clarity on these topics by analyzing and comparing the most effective modifications found in previous literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Vicente Carratalá
- Department of Ruminant Production, Institute of Agriculture and Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Caldes de Montbui, 08140 Barcelona, Spain; Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine Networking Biomedical Research Centre (CIBER-BBN), C/Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Anna Arís
- Department of Ruminant Production, Institute of Agriculture and Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Caldes de Montbui, 08140 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Garcia-Fruitós
- Department of Ruminant Production, Institute of Agriculture and Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Caldes de Montbui, 08140 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Neus Ferrer-Miralles
- Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine Networking Biomedical Research Centre (CIBER-BBN), C/Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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18
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Kampff Z, van Sinderen D, Mahony J. Cell wall polysaccharides of streptococci: A genetic and structural perspective. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 69:108279. [PMID: 37913948 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
The Streptococcus genus comprises both commensal and pathogenic species. Additionally, Streptococcus thermophilus is exploited in fermented foods and in probiotic preparations. The ecological and metabolic diversity of members of this genus is matched by the complex range of cell wall polysaccharides that they present on their cell surfaces. These glycopolymers facilitate their interactions and environmental adaptation. Here, current knowledge on the genetic and compositional diversity of streptococcal cell wall polysaccharides including rhamnose-glucose polysaccharides, exopolysaccharides and teichoic acids is discussed. Furthermore, the species-specific cell wall polysaccharide combinations and specifically highlighting the presence of rhamnose-glucose polysaccharides in certain species, which are replaced by teichoic acids in other species. This review highlights model pathogenic and non-pathogenic species for which there is considerable information regarding cell wall polysaccharide composition, structure and genetic information. These serve as foundations to predict and focus research efforts in other streptococcal species for which such data currently does not exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Kampff
- School of Microbiology and APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- School of Microbiology and APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Jennifer Mahony
- School of Microbiology and APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland.
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19
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Gupta R, Singh M, Pathania R. Chemical genetic approaches for the discovery of bacterial cell wall inhibitors. RSC Med Chem 2023; 14:2125-2154. [PMID: 37974958 PMCID: PMC10650376 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00143a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial pathogens is a worldwide health issue. The innovation gap in discovering new antibiotics has remained a significant hurdle in combating the AMR problem. Currently, antibiotics target various vital components of the bacterial cell envelope, nucleic acid and protein biosynthesis machinery and metabolic pathways essential for bacterial survival. The critical role of the bacterial cell envelope in cell morphogenesis and integrity makes it an attractive drug target. While a significant number of in-clinic antibiotics target peptidoglycan biosynthesis, several components of the bacterial cell envelope have been overlooked. This review focuses on various antibacterial targets in the bacterial cell wall and the strategies employed to find their novel inhibitors. This review will further elaborate on combining forward and reverse chemical genetic approaches to discover antibacterials that target the bacterial cell envelope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rinki Gupta
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Roorkee - 247 667 Uttarakhand India
| | - Mangal Singh
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Roorkee - 247 667 Uttarakhand India
| | - Ranjana Pathania
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Roorkee - 247 667 Uttarakhand India
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20
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Jeong GJ, Khan F, Tabassum N, Cho KJ, Kim YM. Controlling biofilm and virulence properties of Gram-positive bacteria by targeting wall teichoic acid and lipoteichoic acid. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2023; 62:106941. [PMID: 37536571 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2023.106941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Wall teichoic acid (WTA) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) are structural components of Gram-positive bacteria's peptidoglycan and cell membrane, which are mostly anionic glycopolymers. WTA confers numerous physiological, virulence, and pathogenic features to bacterial pathogens. It controls cell shape, cell division, and the localisation of autolytic enzymes and ion homeostasis. In the context of virulence and pathogenicity, it aids bacterial cell attachment and colonisation and protects against the host defence system and antibiotics. Having such a broad function in pathogenic bacteria's lifecycle, WTA/LTA become one of the potential targets for antibacterial agents to reduce bacterial infection in the host. The number of reports for targeting the WTA/LTA pathway has risen, mostly by focusing on three distinct targets: antivirulence targets, β-lactam potentiator targets, and essential targets. The current review looked at the role of WTA/LTA in biofilm development and virulence in a range of Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria. Furthermore, alternate strategies, such as the application of natural and synthetic compounds that target the WTA/LTA pathway, have been thoroughly discussed. Moreover, the application of nanomaterials and a combination of drugs have also been discussed as a viable method for targeting the WTA/LTA in numerous Gram-positive bacteria. In addition, a future perspective for controlling bacterial infection by targeting the WTA/LTA is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geum-Jae Jeong
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Fazlurrahman Khan
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea; Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea.
| | - Nazia Tabassum
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea; Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Jin Cho
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Mog Kim
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea; Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea; Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea.
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21
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Palčeková Z, Obregón-Henao A, De K, Walz A, Lam H, Philp J, Angala SK, Patterson J, Pearce C, Zuberogoitia S, Avanzi C, Nigou J, McNeil M, Muñoz Gutiérrez JF, Gilleron M, Wheat WH, Gonzalez-Juarrero M, Jackson M. Role of succinyl substituents in the mannose-capping of lipoarabinomannan and control of inflammation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011636. [PMID: 37669276 PMCID: PMC10503756 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The covalent modification of bacterial (lipo)polysaccharides with discrete substituents may impact their biosynthesis, export and/or biological activity. Whether mycobacteria use a similar strategy to control the biogenesis of its cell envelope polysaccharides and modulate their interaction with the host during infection is unknown despite the report of a number of tailoring substituents modifying the structure of these glycans. Here, we show that discrete succinyl substituents strategically positioned on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) lipoarabinomannan govern the mannose-capping of this lipoglycan and, thus, much of the biological activity of the entire molecule. We further show that the absence of succinyl substituents on the two main cell envelope glycans of Mtb, arabinogalactan and lipoarabinomannan, leads to a significant increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in infected murine and human macrophages. Collectively, our results validate polysaccharide succinylation as a critical mechanism by which Mtb controls inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Palčeková
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Andrés Obregón-Henao
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Kavita De
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Amanda Walz
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Ha Lam
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Jamie Philp
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Shiva Kumar Angala
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Johnathan Patterson
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Camron Pearce
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Sophie Zuberogoitia
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Charlotte Avanzi
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Jérôme Nigou
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Michael McNeil
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Juan F. Muñoz Gutiérrez
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Martine Gilleron
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - William H. Wheat
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Mercedes Gonzalez-Juarrero
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Mary Jackson
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
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22
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Han W, Camesano TA. LL37-Derived Fragments Improve the Antibacterial Potential of Penicillin G and Ampicillin against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1398. [PMID: 37760695 PMCID: PMC10525415 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12091398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are a severe threat to public health. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are novel and potential antimicrobials with specific antibacterial mechanisms. Our aim was to study the potential of LL37, FK16, and FK13 to enhance the anti-MRSA activity of antibiotics in vitro, particularly penicillin G and ampicillin. Our results showed that FK16 and FK13 have more synergistic inhibitory effects to MRSA strains when combined with penicillin G and ampicillin. In addition, AMPs exhibited strong membrane permeabilizing properties, and membrane permeabilizing effects can provide a possible explanation for the improved antibacterial effects of antibiotics, since permeabilizing AMPs have the potential to increase the access of antibiotics. To further study the electrostatic interactions among cationic AMPs with negatively charged bacteria, we measured the zeta potentials of three MRSA strains and also neutralized three MRSA strains with the addition of cationic AMPs. Further, we demonstrated the connection between membrane permeabilization and zeta potential neutralization. Finally, we treated MRSA strains with AMPs and characterized the MICs of penicillin G and ampicillin. FK16 was the most promising AMP among the three AMPs, since exposure to FK16 decreased the MICs of both penicillin G and ampicillin for all MRSA strains and also demonstrated more synergistic combinations when combined with antibiotics. AMP exposure and subsequent membrane permeabilization provide a possible pathway to re-sensitize drug-resistant bacteria to traditional antibiotics. Re-sensitization may help preserve the effectiveness of traditional antibiotics, thus providing a potential new strategy for fighting MRSA infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Terri A. Camesano
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA;
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23
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Patel H, Rawat S. A genetic regulatory see-saw of biofilm and virulence in MRSA pathogenesis. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1204428. [PMID: 37434702 PMCID: PMC10332168 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1204428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common opportunistic human pathogens causing several infectious diseases. Ever since the emergence of the first methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain decades back, the organism has been a major cause of hospital-acquired infections (HA-MRSA). The spread of this pathogen across the community led to the emergence of a more virulent subtype of the strain, i.e., Community acquired Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). Hence, WHO has declared Staphylococcus aureus as a high-priority pathogen. MRSA pathogenesis is remarkable because of the ability of this "superbug" to form robust biofilm both in vivo and in vitro by the formation of polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA), extracellular DNA (eDNA), wall teichoic acids (WTAs), and capsule (CP), which are major components that impart stability to a biofilm. On the other hand, secretion of a diverse array of virulence factors such as hemolysins, leukotoxins, enterotoxins, and Protein A regulated by agr and sae two-component systems (TCS) aids in combating host immune response. The up- and downregulation of adhesion genes involved in biofilm formation and genes responsible for synthesizing virulence factors during different stages of infection act as a genetic regulatory see-saw in the pathogenesis of MRSA. This review provides insight into the evolution and pathogenesis of MRSA infections with a focus on genetic regulation of biofilm formation and virulence factors secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Seema Rawat
- Microbiology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
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24
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Soni V, Rosenn EH, Venkataraman R. Insights into the central role of N-acetyl-glucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU) in peptidoglycan metabolism and its potential as a therapeutic target. Biochem J 2023; 480:1147-1164. [PMID: 37498748 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20230173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Several decades after the discovery of the first antibiotic (penicillin) microbes have evolved novel mechanisms of resistance; endangering not only our abilities to combat future bacterial pandemics but many other clinical challenges such as acquired infections during surgeries. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is attributed to the mismanagement and overuse of these medications and is complicated by a slower rate of the discovery of novel drugs and targets. Bacterial peptidoglycan (PG), a three-dimensional mesh of glycan units, is the foundation of the cell wall that protects bacteria against environmental insults. A significant percentage of drugs target PG, however, these have been rendered ineffective due to growing drug resistance. Identifying novel druggable targets is, therefore, imperative. Uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) is one of the key building blocks in PG production, biosynthesized by the bifunctional enzyme N-acetyl-glucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU). UDP-GlcNAc metabolism has been studied in many organisms, but it holds some distinctive features in bacteria, especially regarding the bacterial GlmU enzyme. In this review, we provide an overview of different steps in PG biogenesis, discuss the biochemistry of GlmU, and summarize the characteristic structural elements of bacterial GlmU vital to its catalytic function. Finally, we will discuss various studies on the development of GlmU inhibitors and their significance in aiding future drug discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Soni
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, U.S.A
| | - Eric H Rosenn
- Tel Aviv University School of Medicine, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Ramya Venkataraman
- Laboratory of Innate Immunity, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi 110067, India
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25
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Stojowska-Swędrzyńska K, Kuczyńska-Wiśnik D, Laskowska E. New Strategies to Kill Metabolically-Dormant Cells Directly Bypassing the Need for Active Cellular Processes. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1044. [PMID: 37370363 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12061044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic therapy failure is often caused by the presence of persister cells, which are metabolically-dormant bacteria capable of surviving exposure to antimicrobials. Under favorable conditions, persisters can resume growth leading to recurrent infections. Moreover, several studies have indicated that persisters may promote the evolution of antimicrobial resistance and facilitate the selection of specific resistant mutants; therefore, in light of the increasing numbers of multidrug-resistant infections worldwide, developing efficient strategies against dormant cells is of paramount importance. In this review, we present and discuss the efficacy of various agents whose antimicrobial activity is independent of the metabolic status of the bacteria as they target cell envelope structures. Since the biofilm-environment is favorable for the formation of dormant subpopulations, anti-persister strategies should also include agents that destroy the biofilm matrix or inhibit biofilm development. This article reviews examples of selected cell wall hydrolases, polysaccharide depolymerases and antimicrobial peptides. Their combination with standard antibiotics seems to be the most promising approach in combating persistent infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Stojowska-Swędrzyńska
- Department of General and Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Dorota Kuczyńska-Wiśnik
- Department of General and Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Ewa Laskowska
- Department of General and Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
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26
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Keller MR, Dörr T. Bacterial metabolism and susceptibility to cell wall-active antibiotics. Adv Microb Physiol 2023; 83:181-219. [PMID: 37507159 PMCID: PMC11024984 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2023.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial infections are increasingly resistant to antimicrobial therapy. Intense research focus has thus been placed on identifying the mechanisms that bacteria use to resist killing or growth inhibition by antibiotics and the ways in which bacteria share these traits with one another. This work has led to the advancement of new drugs, combination therapy regimens, and a deeper appreciation for the adaptability seen in microorganisms. However, while the primary mechanisms of action of most antibiotics are well understood, the more subtle contributions of bacterial metabolic state to repairing or preventing damage caused by antimicrobials (thereby promoting survival) are still understudied. Here, we review a modern viewpoint on a classical system: examining bacterial metabolism's connection to antibiotic susceptibility. We dive into the relationship between metabolism and antibiotic efficacy through the lens of growth rate, energy state, resource allocation, and the infection environment, focusing on cell wall-active antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Renee Keller
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Tobias Dörr
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States; Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States; Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States.
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27
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Kwak H, Kim J, Ryu S, Bai J. Characterization of KMSP1, a newly isolated virulent bacteriophage infecting Staphylococcus aureus, and its application to dairy products. Int J Food Microbiol 2023; 390:110119. [PMID: 36764012 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major pathogens causing foodborne outbreaks and severe infections worldwide. Generally, various physical and chemical treatments have been applied to control S. aureus in the food industry. However, conventional treatments usually affected food quality and often produced toxic compounds. Therefore, bacteriophage (phage), a natural antimicrobial agent, has been suggested as an alternative strategy to control foodborne pathogens including S. aureus. In this study, KMSP1, a bacteriophage infecting S. aureus was isolated from a raw milk sample and characterized. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed that phage KMSP1 belongs to the Myoviridae family. Phage KMSP1 efficiently inhibited bacterial growth for >28 h post-infection. In addition, phage KMSP1 could infect a broad spectrum of S. aureus strains, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains. Whole-genome sequence analysis showed that KMSP1 is a lytic phage with the absence of genes related to lysogen formation, toxin production, and antibiotics resistance, respectively. In the genome of KMSP1, the presence of putative tail lysin containing a cysteine/histidine-dependent amidohydrolase/peptidase (CHAP) domain could be one of the reasons for the effective antimicrobial activity of KMSP1. Furthermore, high stability of phage KMSP1 at temperature ranging from 4 to 55 °C and pH ranging from 5 to 11, suggested its potential use in various food systems. Receptor analysis revealed that KMSP1 utilized cell wall teichoic acid (WTA), one of the major virulence factors of S. aureus, as a host receptor. Application of phage KMSP1 at an MOI of 104 achieved a significant reduction of log 8.8 CFU/mL of viable cell number in pasteurized milk and log 4.3 CFU/cm2 in sliced cheddar cheese after 24 h. Taken together, the strong antimicrobial activity of phage KMSP1 suggested that it could be developed as a biocontrol agent in dairy products to control S. aureus contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyerim Kwak
- Division of Applied Food System, Major in Food Science & Technology, Seoul Women's University, Seoul 01797, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinshil Kim
- Department of Food and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangryeol Ryu
- Department of Food and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaewoo Bai
- Division of Applied Food System, Major in Food Science & Technology, Seoul Women's University, Seoul 01797, Republic of Korea.
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28
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Cho H. Assembly of Bacterial Surface Glycopolymers as an Antibiotic Target. J Microbiol 2023; 61:359-367. [PMID: 36951963 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-023-00032-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial cells are covered with various glycopolymers such as peptidoglycan (PG), lipopolysaccharides (LPS), teichoic acids, and capsules. Among these glycopolymers, PG assembly is the target of some of our most effective antibiotics, consistent with its essentiality and uniqueness to bacterial cells. Biosynthesis of other surface glycopolymers have also been acknowledged as potential targets for developing therapies to control bacterial infections, because of their importance for bacterial survival in the host environment. Moreover, biosynthesis of most surface glycopolymers are closely related to PG assembly because the same lipid carrier is shared for glycopolymer syntheses. In this review, I provide an overview of PG assembly and antibiotics that target this pathway. Then, I discuss the implications of a common lipid carrier being used for assembly of PG and other surface glycopolymers in antibiotic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongbaek Cho
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea.
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29
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Weaver A, Taguchi A, Dörr T. Masters of Misdirection: Peptidoglycan Glycosidases in Bacterial Growth. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0042822. [PMID: 36757204 PMCID: PMC10029718 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00428-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The dynamic composition of the peptidoglycan cell wall has been the subject of intense research for decades, yet how bacteria coordinate the synthesis of new peptidoglycan with the turnover and remodeling of existing peptidoglycan remains elusive. Diversity and redundancy within peptidoglycan synthases and peptidoglycan autolysins, enzymes that degrade peptidoglycan, have often made it challenging to assign physiological roles to individual enzymes and determine how those activities are regulated. For these reasons, peptidoglycan glycosidases, which cleave within the glycan strands of peptidoglycan, have proven veritable masters of misdirection over the years. Unlike many of the broadly conserved peptidoglycan synthetic complexes, diverse bacteria can employ unrelated glycosidases to achieve the same physiological outcome. Additionally, although the mechanisms of action for many individual enzymes have been characterized, apparent conserved homologs in other organisms can exhibit an entirely different biochemistry. This flexibility has been recently demonstrated in the context of three functions critical to vegetative growth: (i) release of newly synthesized peptidoglycan strands from their membrane anchors, (ii) processing of peptidoglycan turned over during cell wall expansion, and (iii) removal of peptidoglycan fragments that interfere with daughter cell separation during cell division. Finally, the regulation of glycosidase activity during these cell processes may be a cumulation of many factors, including protein-protein interactions, intrinsic substrate preferences, substrate availability, and subcellular localization. Understanding the true scope of peptidoglycan glycosidase activity will require the exploration of enzymes from diverse organisms with equally diverse growth and division strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Weaver
- Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Atsushi Taguchi
- SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tobias Dörr
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
- Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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30
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Malet-Villemagne J, Yucheng L, Evanno L, Denis-Quanquin S, Hugonnet JE, Arthur M, Janoir C, Candela T. Polysaccharide II Surface Anchoring, the Achilles' Heel of Clostridioides difficile. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0422722. [PMID: 36815772 PMCID: PMC10100865 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04227-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell wall glycopolymers (CWPGs) in Gram-positive bacteria have been reported to be involved in several bacterial processes. These polymers, pillars for proteins and S-layer, are essential for the bacterial surface setup, could be essential for growth, and, in pathogens, participate most often in virulence. CWGPs are covalently anchored to peptidoglycan by proteins that belong to the LytR-CpsA-PSr (LCP) family. This anchoring, important for growth, was reported as essential for some bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis, but the reason why CWGP anchoring is essential remains unknown. We studied LcpA and LcpB of Clostridioides difficile and showed that they have a redundant activity. To delete both lcp genes, we set up the first conditional-lethal mutant method in C. difficile and showed that polysaccharide II (PSII) anchoring at the bacterial surface is essential for C. difficile survival. In the conditional-lethal mutant, C. difficile morphology was impaired, suggesting that peptidoglycan synthesis was affected. Because Lcp proteins are transferring CWPGs from the C55-undecaprenyl phosphate (also needed in the peptidoglycan synthesis process), we assumed that there was competition between PSII and peptidoglycan synthesis pathways. We confirmed that UDP-MurNAc-pentapeptide precursor was accumulated, showing that peptidoglycan synthesis was blocked. Our results provide an explanation for the essentiality of PSII anchoring in C. difficile and suggest that the essentiality of the anchoring of CWPGs in other bacteria can also be explained by the blocking of peptidoglycan synthesis. To conclude, our results suggest that Lcps are potential new targets to combat C. difficile infection. IMPORTANCE Cell wall glycopolymers (CWGPs) in Gram-positive bacteria have been reported to be involved in several bacterial processes. CWGP anchoring to peptidoglycan is important for growth and virulence. We set up the first conditional-lethal mutant method in Clostridioides difficile to study LcpA and LcpB involved in the anchoring of CWPGs to peptidoglycan. This study offers new tools to reveal the role of essential genes in C. difficile. LcpA and LcpB activity was shown to be essential, suggesting that they are potential new targets to combat C. difficile infection. In this study, we also showed that there is competition between the polysaccharide II synthesis pathway and peptidoglycan synthesis that probably exists in other Gram-positive bacteria. A better understanding of these mechanisms allows us to define the Lcp proteins as a therapeutic target for potential design of novel antibiotics against pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Liang Yucheng
- INSERM UMR-S 1138, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Laurent Evanno
- Biomolécules: Conception, Isolement et Synthèse (BioCIS), Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Orsay, France
| | | | - Jean-Emmanuel Hugonnet
- INSERM UMR-S 1138, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Michel Arthur
- INSERM UMR-S 1138, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Claire Janoir
- Micalis Institute, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Thomas Candela
- Micalis Institute, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Jouy-en-Josas, France
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31
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Chen JW, Shih CJ, Wu LW, Wu YC, Chiang WF, Chen YL, Wu JH. Phocaeicola oris sp. nov., an anaerobic bacterium isolated from the saliva of a patient with oral squamous cell carcinoma. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2023; 73. [PMID: 36749694 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.005703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A Gram-stain-negative or -positive, strictly anaerobic, non-spore-forming and pleomorphic bacterium (designated 14-104T) was isolated from the saliva sample of a patient with oral squamous cell carcinoma. It was an acid-tolerant neutralophilic mesophile, growing at between 20 and 40 °C (with optimum growth at 30 °C) and pH between pH 3.0 and 7.0 (with optimum growth at pH 6.0-7.0). It contained anteiso-C15 : 0 and C15 : 0 as the major fatty acids. The genome size of strain 14-104T was 2.98 Mbp, and the G+C content was 39.6 mol%. It shared <87 % 16S rRNA sequence similarity, <71 % orthologous average nucleotide identity, <76 % average amino acid identity and <68 %% of conserved proteins with its closest relative, Phocaeicola abscessus CCUG 55929T. Reconstruction of phylogenetic and phylogenomic trees revealed that strain 14-104T and P. abscessus CCUG 55929T were clustered as a distinct clade without any other terminal node. The phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses along with physiological and chemotaxonomic data indicated that strain 14-104T represents a novel species in the genus Phocaeicola, for which the name Phocaeicola oris sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 14-104T (=BCRC 81305T= NBRC 115041T).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiung-Wen Chen
- Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.,Present address: Department of Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1300 University Blvd, AL 35294, Birmingham, USA
| | - Chao-Jen Shih
- Bioresource Collection and Research Center, Food Industry Research and Development Institute, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Li-Wha Wu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.,Department of Laboratory Science and Technology, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yen-Chi Wu
- Bioresource Collection and Research Center, Food Industry Research and Development Institute, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Wei-Fan Chiang
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Liouying, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yuh-Ling Chen
- Institute of Oral Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Jer-Horng Wu
- Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
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32
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Khanum R, Chung PY, Clarke SC, Chin BY. Lactoferrin modulates the biofilm formation and bap gene expression of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis. Can J Microbiol 2023; 69:117-122. [PMID: 36265186 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2022-0135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Lactoferrin is an innate glycoprotein with broad antibacterial and antibiofilm properties. The autonomous antibiofilm activity of lactoferrin against Gram-positive bacteria is postulated to involve the cell wall and biofilm components. Thus, the prevention of biomass formation and eradication of preformed biofilms by lactoferrin was investigated using a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE) strain. Additionally, the ability of lactoferrin to modulate the expression of the biofilm-associated protein gene (bap) was studied. The bap gene regulates the production of biofilm-associated proteins responsible for bacterial adhesion and aggregation. In the in vitro biofilm assays, lactoferrin prevented biofilm formation and eradicated established biofilms for up to 24 and 72 h, respectively. Extensive eradication of MRSE biofilm biomass was accompanied by the significant upregulation of bap gene expression. These data suggest the interaction of lactoferrin with the biofilm components and cell wall of MRSE, including the biofilm-associated protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona Khanum
- School of Postgraduate Studies, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Pooi Yin Chung
- School of Medicine, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Stuart C Clarke
- Faculty of Medicine and Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, UK.,Institute for Research, Development and Innovation, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Beek Yoke Chin
- School of Health Sciences, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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33
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Nikolic P, Mudgil P. The Cell Wall, Cell Membrane and Virulence Factors of Staphylococcus aureus and Their Role in Antibiotic Resistance. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11020259. [PMID: 36838224 PMCID: PMC9965861 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria are a serious threat to human health. With increasing antibiotic resistance in common human pathogens, fewer antibiotics remain effective against infectious diseases. Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogenic bacterium of particular concern to human health as it has developed resistance to many of the currently used antibiotics leaving very few remaining as effective treatment. Alternatives to conventional antibiotics are needed for treating resistant bacterial infections. A deeper understanding of the cellular characteristics of resistant bacteria beyond well characterized resistance mechanisms can allow for increased ability to properly treat them and to potentially identify targetable changes. This review looks at antibiotic resistance in S aureus in relation to its cellular components, the cell wall, cell membrane and virulence factors. Methicillin resistant S aureus bacteria are resistant to most antibiotics and some strains have even developed resistance to the last resort antibiotics vancomycin and daptomycin. Modifications in cell wall peptidoglycan and teichoic acids are noted in antibiotic resistant bacteria. Alterations in cell membrane lipids affect susceptibility to antibiotics through surface charge, permeability, fluidity, and stability of the bacterial membrane. Virulence factors such as adhesins, toxins and immunomodulators serve versatile pathogenic functions in S aureus. New antimicrobial strategies can target cell membrane lipids and virulence factors including anti-virulence treatment as an adjuvant to traditional antibiotic therapy.
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34
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Bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects of sodium polyphosphate emulsifying salts on selected targets in processed cheese. Food Control 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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35
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Li X, Cai Y, Xia Q, Liao Y, Qin R. Antibacterial sensitizers from natural plants: A powerful weapon against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1118793. [PMID: 36909155 PMCID: PMC9998539 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1118793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a drug-resistant bacterium that can cause a range of infections with high morbidity and mortality, including pneumonia, etc. Therefore, development of new drugs or therapeutic strategies against MRSA is urgently needed. Increasing evidence has shown that combining antibiotics with "antibacterial sensitizers" which itself has no effect on MRSA, is highly effective against MRSA. Many studies showed the development of antibacterial sensitizers from natural plants may be a promising strategy against MRSA because of their low side effects, low toxicity and multi-acting target. In our paper, we first reviewed the resistance mechanisms of MRSA including "Resistance to Beta-Lactams", "Resistance to Glycopeptide antibiotics", "Resistance to Macrolides, Aminoglycosides, and Oxazolidinones" etc. Moreover, we summarized the possible targets for antibacterial sensitizers against MRSA. Furthermore, we reviewed the synergy effects of active monomeric compounds from natural plants combined with antibiotics against MRSA and their corresponding mechanisms over the last two decades. This review provides a novel approach to overcome antibiotic resistance in MRSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Li
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism, Chongqing, China
| | - Yongqing Cai
- Department of Pharmacy, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qinchuan Xia
- Fuan Pharmaceutical Group Chongqing Bosen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Yongqun Liao
- Fuan Pharmaceutical Group Chongqing Bosen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Rongxin Qin
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Army Medical University (The Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
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Ersoy SC, Gonçalves B, Cavaco G, Manna AC, Sobral RG, Nast CC, Proctor RA, Chambers HF, Cheung A, Bayer AS. Influence of Sodium Bicarbonate on Wall Teichoic Acid Synthesis and β-Lactam Sensitization in NaHCO 3-Responsive and Nonresponsive Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0342222. [PMID: 36377886 PMCID: PMC9769754 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03422-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains pose major treatment challenges due to their innate resistance to most β-lactams under standard in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing conditions. A novel phenotype among MRSA, termed "NaHCO3 responsiveness," where certain strains display increased susceptibility to β-lactams in the presence of NaHCO3, has been identified among a relatively large proportion of MRSA isolates. One underlying mechanism of NaHCO3 responsiveness appears to be related to decreased expression and altered functionality of several genes and proteins involved in cell wall synthesis and maturation. Here, we studied the impact of NaHCO3 on wall teichoic acid (WTA) synthesis, a process intimately linked to peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis and functionality, in NaHCO3-responsive versus -nonresponsive MRSA isolates. NaHCO3 sensitized responsive MRSA strains to cefuroxime, a specific penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2)-inhibitory β-lactam known to synergize with early WTA synthesis inhibitors (e.g., ticlopidine). Combining cefuroxime with ticlopidine with or without NaHCO3 suggested that these latter two agents target the same step in WTA synthesis. Further, NaHCO3 decreased the abundance and molecular weight of WTA only in responsive strains. Additionally, NaHCO3 stimulated increased autolysis and aberrant cell division in responsive strains, two phenotypes associated with disruption of WTA synthesis. Of note, studies of key genes involved in the WTA biosynthetic pathway (e.g., tarO, tarG, dltA, and fmtA) indicated that the inhibitory impact of NaHCO3 on WTA biosynthesis in responsive strains likely occurred posttranslationally. IMPORTANCE MRSA is generally viewed as resistant to standard β-lactam antibiotics. However, a NaHCO3-responsive phenotype is observed in a substantial proportion of clinical MRSA strains in vitro, i.e., isolates which demonstrate enhanced susceptibility to standard β-lactam antibiotics (e.g., oxacillin) in the presence of NaHCO3. This phenotype correlates with increased MRSA clearance in vivo by standard β-lactam antibiotics, suggesting that patients with infections caused by such MRSA strains might be amenable to treatment with β-lactams. The mechanism(s) behind this phenotype is not fully understood but appears to involve mecA-PBP2a production and maturation axes. Our study adds significantly to this body of knowledge in terms of additional mechanistic targets of NaHCO3 in selected MRSA strains. This investigation demonstrates that NaHCO3 has direct impacts on S. aureus wall teichoic acid biosynthesis in NaHCO3-responsive MRSA. These findings provide an additional target for new agents being designed to synergistically kill MRSA using β-lactam antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Barbara Gonçalves
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology of Bacterial Pathogens, UCIBIO, Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, Nova School of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB, Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Nova School of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Gonçalo Cavaco
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology of Bacterial Pathogens, UCIBIO, Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, Nova School of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB, Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Nova School of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Adhar C. Manna
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Rita G. Sobral
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology of Bacterial Pathogens, UCIBIO, Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, Nova School of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB, Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Nova School of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Cynthia C. Nast
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Richard A. Proctor
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology/Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Ambrose Cheung
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Arnold S. Bayer
- The Lundquist Institute, Torrance, California, USA
- Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Kwun MJ, Ion AV, Cheng HC, D’Aeth JC, Dougan S, Oggioni MR, Goulding DA, Bentley SD, Croucher NJ. Post-vaccine epidemiology of serotype 3 pneumococci identifies transformation inhibition through prophage-driven alteration of a non-coding RNA. Genome Med 2022; 14:144. [PMID: 36539881 PMCID: PMC9764711 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-022-01147-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The respiratory pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is a genetically diverse bacterium associated with over 101 immunologically distinct polysaccharide capsules (serotypes). Polysaccharide conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have successfully eliminated multiple targeted serotypes, yet the mucoid serotype 3 has persisted despite its inclusion in PCV13. This capsule type is predominantly associated with a single globally disseminated strain, GPSC12 (clonal complex 180). METHODS A genomic epidemiology study combined previous surveillance datasets of serotype 3 pneumococci to analyse the population structure, dynamics, and differences in rates of diversification within GPSC12 during the period of PCV introductions. Transcriptomic analyses, whole genome sequencing, mutagenesis, and electron microscopy were used to characterise the phenotypic impact of loci hypothesised to affect this strain's evolution. RESULTS GPSC12 was split into clades by a genomic analysis. Clade I, the most common, rarely underwent transformation, but was typically infected with the prophage ϕOXC141. Prior to the introduction of PCV13, this clade's composition shifted towards a ϕOXC141-negative subpopulation in a systematically sampled UK collection. In the post-PCV13 era, more rapidly recombining non-Clade I isolates, also ϕOXC141-negative, have risen in prevalence. The low in vitro transformation efficiency of a Clade I isolate could not be fully explained by the ~100-fold reduction attributable to the serotype 3 capsule. Accordingly, prophage ϕOXC141 was found to modify csRNA3, a non-coding RNA that inhibits the induction of transformation. This alteration was identified in ~30% of all pneumococci and was particularly common in the unusually clonal serotype 1 GPSC2 strain. RNA-seq and quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR experiments using a genetically tractable pneumococcus demonstrated the altered csRNA3 was more effective at inhibiting production of the competence-stimulating peptide pheromone. This resulted in a reduction in the induction of competence for transformation. CONCLUSION This interference with the quorum sensing needed to induce competence reduces the risk of the prophage being deleted by homologous recombination. Hence the selfish prophage-driven alteration of a regulatory RNA limits cell-cell communication and horizontal gene transfer, complicating the interpretation of post-vaccine population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Jung Kwun
- grid.7445.20000 0001 2113 8111MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, White City Campus, Imperial College London, London, W12 0BZ UK
| | - Alexandru V. Ion
- grid.7445.20000 0001 2113 8111MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, White City Campus, Imperial College London, London, W12 0BZ UK
| | - Hsueh-Chien Cheng
- grid.10306.340000 0004 0606 5382Parasites & Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA UK
| | - Joshua C. D’Aeth
- grid.7445.20000 0001 2113 8111MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, White City Campus, Imperial College London, London, W12 0BZ UK
| | - Sam Dougan
- grid.10306.340000 0004 0606 5382Parasites & Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA UK
| | - Marco R. Oggioni
- grid.9918.90000 0004 1936 8411Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH UK ,grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie, Università di Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - David A. Goulding
- grid.10306.340000 0004 0606 5382Parasites & Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA UK
| | - Stephen D. Bentley
- grid.10306.340000 0004 0606 5382Parasites & Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA UK
| | - Nicholas J. Croucher
- grid.7445.20000 0001 2113 8111MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, White City Campus, Imperial College London, London, W12 0BZ UK
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Barbuti MD, Myrbråten IS, Morales Angeles D, Kjos M. The cell cycle of Staphylococcus aureus: An updated review. Microbiologyopen 2022; 12:e1338. [PMID: 36825883 PMCID: PMC9733580 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As bacteria proliferate, DNA replication, chromosome segregation, cell wall synthesis, and cytokinesis occur concomitantly and need to be tightly regulated and coordinated. Although these cell cycle processes have been studied for decades, several mechanisms remain elusive, specifically in coccus-shaped cells such as Staphylococcus aureus. In recent years, major progress has been made in our understanding of how staphylococci divide, including new, fundamental insights into the mechanisms of cell wall synthesis and division site selection. Furthermore, several novel proteins and mechanisms involved in the regulation of replication initiation or progression of the cell cycle have been identified and partially characterized. In this review, we will summarize our current understanding of the cell cycle processes in the spheroid model bacterium S. aureus, with a focus on recent advances in the understanding of how these processes are regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria D. Barbuti
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food ScienceNorwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)ÅsNorway
| | - Ine S. Myrbråten
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food ScienceNorwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)ÅsNorway
| | - Danae Morales Angeles
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food ScienceNorwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)ÅsNorway
| | - Morten Kjos
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food ScienceNorwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)ÅsNorway
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Hawkins NC, Kizziah JL, Hatoum-Aslan A, Dokland T. Structure and host specificity of Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteriophage Andhra. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eade0459. [PMID: 36449623 PMCID: PMC9710869 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade0459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus epidermidis is an opportunistic pathogen of the human skin, often associated with infections of implanted medical devices. Staphylococcal picoviruses are a group of strictly lytic, short-tailed bacteriophages with compact genomes that are attractive candidates for therapeutic use. Here, we report the structure of the complete virion of S. epidermidis-infecting phage Andhra, determined using high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy, allowing atomic modeling of 11 capsid and tail proteins. The capsid is a T = 4 icosahedron containing a unique stabilizing capsid lining protein. The tail includes 12 trimers of a unique receptor binding protein (RBP), a lytic protein that also serves to anchor the RBPs to the tail stem, and a hexameric tail knob that acts as a gatekeeper for DNA ejection. Using structure prediction with AlphaFold, we identified the two proteins that comprise the tail tip heterooctamer. Our findings elucidate critical features for virion assembly, host recognition, and penetration.
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Affiliation(s)
- N’Toia C. Hawkins
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - James L. Kizziah
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Asma Hatoum-Aslan
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Terje Dokland
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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40
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Design, Synthesis and Actual Applications of the Polymers Containing Acidic P-OH Fragments: Part 1. Polyphosphodiesters. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314857. [PMID: 36499185 PMCID: PMC9738169 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Among natural and synthetic polymers, main-chain phosphorus-containing polyacids (PCPAs) (polyphosphodiesters), stand in a unique position at the intersection of chemistry, physics, biology and medicine. The structural similarity of polyphosphodiesters PCPAs to natural nucleic and teichoic acids, their biocompatibility, mimicking to biomolecules providing the 'stealth effect', high bone mineral affinity of polyphosphodiesters resulting in biomineralization at physiological conditions, and adjustable hydrolytic stability of polyphosphodiesters are the basis for various biomedical, industrial and household applications of this type of polymers. In the present review, we discuss the synthesis, properties and actual applications of polyphosphodiesters.
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41
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Di Carluccio C, Soriano-Maldonado P, Berni F, de Haas CJC, Temming AR, Hendriks A, Ali S, Molinaro A, Silipo A, van Sorge NM, van Raaij MJ, Codee JDC, Marchetti R. Antibody Recognition of Different Staphylococcus aureus Wall Teichoic Acid Glycoforms. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2022; 8:1383-1392. [PMID: 36313161 PMCID: PMC9615122 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.2c00125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Wall teichoic acids (WTAs) are glycopolymers decorating the surface of Gram-positive bacteria and potential targets for antibody-mediated treatments against Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant (MRSA) strains. Through a combination of glycan microarray, synthetic chemistry, crystallography, NMR, and computational studies, we unraveled the molecular and structural details of fully defined synthetic WTA fragments recognized by previously described monoclonal antibodies (mAbs 4461 and 4497). Our results unveiled the structural requirements for the discriminatory recognition of α- and β-GlcNAc-modified WTA glycoforms by the complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) of the heavy and light chains of the mAbs. Both mAbs interacted not only with the sugar moiety but also with the phosphate groups as well as residues in the ribitol phosphate (RboP) units of the WTA backbone, highlighting their significant role in ligand specificity. Using elongated WTA fragments, containing two sugar modifications, we also demonstrated that the internal carbohydrate moiety of α-GlcNAc-modified WTA is preferentially accommodated in the binding pocket of mAb 4461 with respect to the terminal moiety. Our results also explained the recently documented cross-reactivity of mAb 4497 for β-1,3/β-1,4-GlcNAc-modified WTA, revealing that the flexibility of the RboP backbone is crucial to allow positioning of both glycans in the antibody binding pocket.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Di Carluccio
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples
Federico II, Via Cinthia 4, 80126Naples, Italy
| | - Pablo Soriano-Maldonado
- Departamento
de Estructura de Macromoléculas, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones
Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Calle Darwin 3, 28049Madrid, Spain
| | - Francesca Berni
- Leiden
Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CCLeiden, The Netherlands
| | - Carla J. C. de Haas
- Medical
Microbiology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3508Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - A. Robin Temming
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZAmsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Astrid Hendriks
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZAmsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sara Ali
- Leiden
Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CCLeiden, The Netherlands
| | - Antonio Molinaro
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples
Federico II, Via Cinthia 4, 80126Naples, Italy
| | - Alba Silipo
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples
Federico II, Via Cinthia 4, 80126Naples, Italy
| | - Nina M. van Sorge
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZAmsterdam, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Meningitis, Amsterdam UMC, 1105 AZAmsterdam, The Netherlands
- Email
for N.M.v.S.:
| | - Mark J. van Raaij
- Departamento
de Estructura de Macromoléculas, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones
Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Calle Darwin 3, 28049Madrid, Spain
- Email for M.J.v.R.:
| | - Jeroen D. C. Codee
- Leiden
Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CCLeiden, The Netherlands
- Email for J.D.C.C.:
| | - Roberta Marchetti
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples
Federico II, Via Cinthia 4, 80126Naples, Italy
- Email for R.M.:
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Disruption of the tagF Orthologue in the epa Locus Variable Region of Enterococcus faecalis Causes Cell Surface Changes and Suppresses an eep-Dependent Lysozyme Resistance Phenotype. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0024722. [PMID: 36094307 PMCID: PMC9578411 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00247-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The disease-producing capacity of the opportunistic pathogen Enterococcus faecalis is enhanced by the ability of the bacterium to evade killing by antimicrobial agents. Survival of E. faecalis in the presence of the human antimicrobial enzyme lysozyme is mediated in part by the site 2 metalloprotease Eep; however, a complete model of enterococcal lysozyme resistance has not been elucidated. To better understand the molecular basis for lysozyme resistance in E. faecalis, we analyzed Δeep suppressor mutants that acquire resistance to lysozyme through mutation of the gene OG1RF_11713, a predicted teichoic acid biosynthesis-encoding gene located within the variable region of the enterococcal polysaccharide antigen (epa) locus. Sequence comparisons revealed that OG1RF_11713 is most similar to the cytidine-5'-diphosphate (CDP)-glycerol:poly-(glycerolphosphate)glycerophosphotransferase TagF from Staphylococcus epidermidis. Inactivation of OG1RF_11713 in both the wild-type and Δeep genetic backgrounds was sufficient to increase the resistance of E. faecalis OG1RF to lysozyme. Minimal amounts of N-acetylgalactosamine were detectable in cell wall carbohydrate extracts of OG1RF_11713 deletion mutants, and this was associated with a reduction in negative cell surface charge. Targeted disruption of OG1RF_11713 was also associated with increased susceptibility to the antibiotic polymyxin B and membrane-targeting detergents and decreased susceptibility to the lantibiotic nisin. This work implicates OG1RF_11713 as a major determinant of cell envelope integrity and provides further validation that lysozyme resistance is intrinsically linked to the modification of enterococcal cell wall polysaccharides. IMPORTANCE Enterococcus faecalis is a leading cause of health-care-associated infections for which there are limited treatment options. E. faecalis is resistant to several antibiotics and to high concentrations of the human antimicrobial enzyme lysozyme. The molecular mechanisms that mediate lysozyme resistance in E. faecalis are complex and remain incompletely characterized. This work demonstrates that a gene located within the variable region of the enterococcal polysaccharide antigen locus of E. faecalis strain OG1RF (OG1RF_11713), which is predicted to encode a component of the teichoic acid biosynthesis machinery, is part of the lysozyme resistance circuitry and is important for enterococcal cell wall integrity. These findings suggest that OG1RF_11713 is a potential target for new therapeutic strategies to combat enterococcal infections.
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Maczuga N, Tran ENH, Morona R. Subcellular localization of the enterobacterial common antigen GT-E-like glycosyltransferase, WecG. Mol Microbiol 2022; 118:403-416. [PMID: 36006410 PMCID: PMC9804384 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Enterobacterales have developed a specialized outer membrane polysaccharide (enterobacterial common antigen [ECA]). ECA biosynthesis begins on the cytoplasmic side of the inner membrane (IM) where glycosyltransferases sequentially add sugar moieties to form a complete repeat unit which is then translocated across the IM by WzxE before being polymerized into short linear chains by WzyE/WzzE. Research into WecG, the enzyme responsible for generating ECA lipid-II, has not progressed beyond Barr et al. (1988) who described WecG as a membrane protein. Here we revise our understanding of WecG and re-characterize it as a peripherally associated membrane protein. Through the use of Western immunoblotting we show that WecG in Shigella flexneri is maintained to the IM via its three C-terminal helices and further identify key residues in helix II which are critical for this interaction which has allowed us to identify WecG as a GT-E glycosyltransferase. We investigate the possibility of protein complexes and ultimately show that ECA lipid-I maintains WecG to the membrane which is crucial for its function. This research is the first since Barr et al. (1988) to investigate the biochemistry of WecG and reveals possible novel drug targets to inhibit WecG and thus ECA function and cell viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Maczuga
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Elizabeth N. H. Tran
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Renato Morona
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
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Aggarwal S, Sabharwal V, Kaushik P, Joshi A, Aayushi A, Suri M. Postbiotics: From emerging concept to application. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2022.887642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The microbiome innovation has resulted in an umbrella term, postbiotics, which refers to non-viable microbial cells, metabolic byproducts and their microbial components released after lysis. Postbiotics, modulate immune response, gene expression, inhibit pathogen binding, maintain intestinal barriers, help in controlling carcinogenesis and pathogen infections. Postbiotics have antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties with favorable physiological, immunological, neuro-hormonal, regulatory and metabolic reactions. Consumption of postbiotics relieves symptoms of various diseases and viral infections such as SARS-CoV-2. Postbiotics can act as alternatives for pre-probiotic specially in immunosuppressed patients, children and premature neonates. Postbiotics are used to preserve and enhance nutritional properties of food, elimination of biofilms and skin conditioning in cosmetics. Postbiotics have numerous advantages over live bacteria with no risk of bacterial translocation from the gut to blood, acquisition of antibiotic resistance genes. The process of extraction, standardization, transport, and storage of postbiotic is more natural. Bioengineering techniques such as fermentation technology, high pressure etc., may be used for the synthesis of different postbiotics. Safety assessment and quality assurance of postbiotic is important as they may induce stomach discomfort, sepsis and/or toxic shock. Postbiotics are still in their infancy compared to pre- and pro- biotics but future research in this field may contribute to improved physiological functions and host health. The current review comprehensively summarizes new frontiers of research in postbiotics.
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45
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Li W, Li Y, Wang F, Chen S, Chen J. Flow cytometric assessment of the chlorine/chloramine efficacy of particle-associated bacteria in drinking water. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 2022; 43:3212-3220. [PMID: 33856959 DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2021.1918263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Chlorine and chloramine are widely used to maintain the microbial safety after drinking water treatment plants. Particles existing in the treated water may react with these chemical disinfectants, and impact the efficacy of disinfection. However, the protective effects of particles without-disinfectant demand on bacteria in the chlorination/chloramination are not well known. In this study, two laboratory-derived bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli) and two no-disinfectant demand particles (Fe2O3 and kaolin) in drinking water were selected to build particle-associated bacteria (PAB) systems, and their resistance to chlorine/chloramine was further assessed. Flow cytometry (FCM) was employed to image PAB systems and assess the removal rate of bacteria. The results were that particles showed protective effects on bacteria in half of chlorine experiments and 90% of chloramination. The protection was related to the combination form of particles and bacteria tied to neither particle species nor size, and there was no positive relationship between the protection effect and water turbidity. S. aureus attached to Fe2O3 had stronger resistance than kaolin, and kaolin protected E. coli better than Fe2O3. The same trend was observed in both chemical disinfectants, and more significant resistance had been shown in chloramination than chlorination. FCM images which gave a qualitative description on the combination states of different PAB systems may be a clue to explain the strength of the resistance. Environmental bacterial strains and particles are recommended in the future to explore practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Wang
- Institute of Water Environment Technology, MCC Huatian Engineering and Technology Corporation, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Sheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiping Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
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Xu Y, Hernández-Rocamora VM, Lorent JH, Cox R, Wang X, Bao X, Stel M, Vos G, van den Bos RM, Pieters RJ, Gray J, Vollmer W, Breukink E. Metabolic labeling of the bacterial peptidoglycan by functionalized glucosamine. iScience 2022; 25:104753. [PMID: 35942089 PMCID: PMC9356107 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
N-Acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) is an essential monosaccharide required in almost all organisms. Fluorescent labeling of the peptidoglycan (PG) on N-acetylglucosamine has been poorly explored. Here, we report on the labeling of the PG with a bioorthogonal handle on the GlcNAc. We developed a facile one-step synthesis of uridine diphosphate N-azidoacetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAz) using the glycosyltransferase OleD, followed by in vitro incorporation of GlcNAz into the peptidoglycan precursor Lipid II and fluorescent labeling of the azido group via click chemistry. In a PG synthesis assay, fluorescent GlcNAz-labeled Lipid II was incorporated into peptidoglycan by the DD-transpeptidase activity of bifunctional class A penicillin-binding proteins. We further demonstrate the incorporation of GlcNAz into the PG layer of OleD-expressed bacteria by feeding with 2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl GlcNAz (GlcNAz-CNP). Hence, our labeling method using the heterologous expression of OleD is useful to study PG synthesis and possibly other biological processes involving GlcNAc metabolism in vivo. Peptidoglycan consists of N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylmuramic acid, and amino acids We developed a one-step synthesis of azide-labeled UDP-N-acetylglucosamine In vivo generated azide-labeled UDP-N-acetylglucosamine gets incorporated into peptidoglycan Bacteria were fluorescently labeled on N-acetylglucosamine of peptidoglycan
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Xu
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Joseph H. Lorent
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ruud Cox
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Xiaoqi Wang
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Xue Bao
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marjon Stel
- Department of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Gaël Vos
- Department of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ramon M. van den Bos
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Roland J. Pieters
- Department of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Joe Gray
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Waldemar Vollmer
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Eefjan Breukink
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Corresponding author
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47
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Nikolopoulos N, Matos RC, Courtin P, Ayala I, Akherraz H, Simorre JP, Chapot-Chartier MP, Leulier F, Ravaud S, Grangeasse C. DltC acts as an interaction hub for AcpS, DltA and DltB in the teichoic acid D-alanylation pathway of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13133. [PMID: 35907949 PMCID: PMC9338922 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17434-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Teichoic acids (TA) are crucial for the homeostasis of the bacterial cell wall as well as their developmental behavior and interplay with the environment. TA can be decorated by different modifications, modulating thus their biochemical properties. One major modification consists in the esterification of TA by d-alanine, a process known as d-alanylation. TA d-alanylation is performed by the Dlt pathway, which starts in the cytoplasm and continues extracellularly after d-Ala transportation through the membrane. In this study, we combined structural biology and in vivo approaches to dissect the cytoplasmic steps of this pathway in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, a bacterial species conferring health benefits to its animal host. After establishing that AcpS, DltB, DltC1 and DltA are required for the promotion of Drosophila juvenile growth under chronic undernutrition, we solved their crystal structure and/or used NMR and molecular modeling to study their interactions. Our work demonstrates that the suite of interactions between these proteins is ordered with a conserved surface of DltC1 docking sequentially AcpS, DltA and eventually DltB. Altogether, we conclude that DltC1 acts as an interaction hub for all the successive cytoplasmic steps of the TA d-alanylation pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikos Nikolopoulos
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, CNRS UMR 5086, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Renata C Matos
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5242, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Pascal Courtin
- INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Isabel Ayala
- Institut de Biologie Structurale, CEA, CNRS UMR 5075, Université Grenoble Alpes, 3800, Grenoble, France
| | - Houssam Akherraz
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5242, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Jean-Pierre Simorre
- Institut de Biologie Structurale, CEA, CNRS UMR 5075, Université Grenoble Alpes, 3800, Grenoble, France
| | | | - François Leulier
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5242, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Stéphanie Ravaud
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, CNRS UMR 5086, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France.
| | - Christophe Grangeasse
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, CNRS UMR 5086, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France.
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Riu F, Ruda A, Ibba R, Sestito S, Lupinu I, Piras S, Widmalm G, Carta A. Antibiotics and Carbohydrate-Containing Drugs Targeting Bacterial Cell Envelopes: An Overview. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:942. [PMID: 36015090 PMCID: PMC9414505 DOI: 10.3390/ph15080942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Certain bacteria constitute a threat to humans due to their ability to escape host defenses as they easily develop drug resistance. Bacteria are classified into gram-positive and gram-negative according to the composition of the cell membrane structure. Gram-negative bacteria have an additional outer membrane (OM) that is not present in their gram-positive counterpart; the latter instead hold a thicker peptidoglycan (PG) layer. This review covers the main structural and functional properties of cell wall polysaccharides (CWPs) and PG. Drugs targeting CWPs are discussed, both noncarbohydrate-related (β-lactams, fosfomycin, and lipopeptides) and carbohydrate-related (glycopeptides and lipoglycopeptides). Bacterial resistance to these drugs continues to evolve, which calls for novel antibacterial approaches to be developed. The use of carbohydrate-based vaccines as a valid strategy to prevent bacterial infections is also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Riu
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Via Muroni 23/A, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (F.R.); (I.L.); (S.P.); (A.C.)
| | - Alessandro Ruda
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (A.R.); (G.W.)
| | - Roberta Ibba
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Via Muroni 23/A, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (F.R.); (I.L.); (S.P.); (A.C.)
| | - Simona Sestito
- Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy;
| | - Ilenia Lupinu
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Via Muroni 23/A, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (F.R.); (I.L.); (S.P.); (A.C.)
| | - Sandra Piras
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Via Muroni 23/A, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (F.R.); (I.L.); (S.P.); (A.C.)
| | - Göran Widmalm
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (A.R.); (G.W.)
| | - Antonio Carta
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Via Muroni 23/A, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (F.R.); (I.L.); (S.P.); (A.C.)
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Sionov RV, Banerjee S, Bogomolov S, Smoum R, Mechoulam R, Steinberg D. Targeting the Achilles’ Heel of Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus by the Endocannabinoid Anandamide. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147798. [PMID: 35887146 PMCID: PMC9319909 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a major health issue that requires new therapeutic approaches. Accumulating data suggest that it is possible to sensitize these bacteria to antibiotics by combining them with inhibitors targeting efflux pumps, the low-affinity penicillin-binding protein PBP2a, cell wall teichoic acid, or the cell division protein FtsZ. We have previously shown that the endocannabinoid Anandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamine; AEA) could sensitize drug-resistant S. aureus to a variety of antibiotics, among others, through growth arrest and inhibition of drug efflux. Here, we looked at biochemical alterations caused by AEA. We observed that AEA increased the intracellular drug concentration of a fluorescent penicillin and augmented its binding to membrane proteins with concomitant altered membrane distribution of these proteins. AEA also prevented the secretion of exopolysaccharides (EPS) and reduced the cell wall teichoic acid content, both processes known to require transporter proteins. Notably, AEA was found to inhibit membrane ATPase activity that is necessary for transmembrane transport. AEA did not affect the membrane GTPase activity, and the GTPase cell division protein FtsZ formed the Z-ring of the divisome normally in the presence of AEA. Rather, AEA caused a reduction in murein hydrolase activities involved in daughter cell separation. Altogether, this study shows that AEA affects several biochemical processes that culminate in the sensitization of the drug-resistant bacteria to antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronit Vogt Sionov
- Biofilm Research Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical and Oral Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel; (S.B.); (S.B.); (D.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Shreya Banerjee
- Biofilm Research Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical and Oral Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel; (S.B.); (S.B.); (D.S.)
| | - Sergei Bogomolov
- Biofilm Research Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical and Oral Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel; (S.B.); (S.B.); (D.S.)
| | - Reem Smoum
- Institute for Drug Research, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel; (R.S.); (R.M.)
| | - Raphael Mechoulam
- Institute for Drug Research, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel; (R.S.); (R.M.)
| | - Doron Steinberg
- Biofilm Research Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical and Oral Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel; (S.B.); (S.B.); (D.S.)
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50
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Abstract
Exogenic deposits are an important source of rare earth elements (REEs), especially heavy REEs (HREEs). It is generally accepted that microorganisms are able to dissolve minerals and mobilize elements in supergene environments. However, little is known about the roles of microorganisms in the formation of exogenic deposits such as regolith-hosted REE deposits that are of HREE enrichment and provide over 90% of global HREE demand. In this study, we characterized the microbial community composition and diversity along a complete weathering profile drilled from a regolith-hosted REE deposit in Southeastern China and report the striking contributions of microorganisms to the enrichment of REEs and fractionation between HREEs and light REEs (LREEs). Our results provide evidence that the variations in REE contents are correlated with microbial community along the profile. Both fungi and bacteria contributed to the accumulation of REEs, whereas bacteria played a key role in the fractionation between HREEs and LREEs. Taking advantage of bacteria strains isolated from the profile, Gram-positive bacteria affiliated with Bacillus and Micrococcus preferentially adsorbed HREEs, and teichoic acids in the cell wall served as the main sites for HREE adsorption, leading to an enrichment of HREEs in the deposit. The present study provides the first database of microbial community in regolith-hosted REE deposits. These findings not only elucidate the crucial contribution of fungi and bacteria in the supergene REE mineralization but also provide insights into efficient utilization of mineral resources via a biological pathway. IMPORTANCE Understanding the role of microorganisms in the formation of regolith-hosted rare earth element (REE) deposits is beneficial for improving the metallogenic theory and deposit exploitation, given that such deposits absolutely exist in subtropical regions with strong microbial activities. Little is known of the microbial community composition and its contribution to REE mineralization in this kind of deposit. Using a combination of high-throughput sequencing, batch adsorption experiments, and spectroscopic characterization, the functional microorganisms contributing to REE enrichment and fractionation are disclosed. For bacteria, the surface carboxyl and phosphate groups are active sites for REE adsorption, while teichoic acids in the cell walls of G+ bacteria lead to REE fractionation. The above-mentioned findings not only unravel the importance of microorganisms in the formation of supergene REE deposits but also provide experimental evidence for the bioutilization of REE resources.
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